Shloka 31

अविद्याबीज-निरूपणं, योगस्वरूप-उपदेशः, मूर्तहरिधारणा-समाधि, जनकवंशीय-राजर्षिसंवादः

Devanagari script

आत्मप्रयत्नसापेक्षा विशिष्टा या मनोगतिः तस्या ब्रह्मणि संयोगो योग इत्य् अभिधीयते

Transliteration

ātmaprayatnasāpekṣā viśiṣṭā yā manogatiḥ tasyā brahmaṇi saṃyogo yoga ity abhidhīyate

Translation

That distinctive movement of the mind, dependent upon one’s own disciplined effort—its joining (saṃyoga) with Brahman—is what is called “Yoga.”

Word by Word

• आत्मप्रयत्नसापेक्षा: dependent on one’s own effort
• आत्मप्रयत्नसापेक्षा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + सापेक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—आत्मप्रयत्न-सापेक्षा (आत्मप्रयत्नं अपेक्षते इति)

• विशिष्टा: distinct, specific
• विशिष्टा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √शिष्/√शास्-निष्पन्न विशेषण)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• या: which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• मनोगतिः: movement/turning of the mind
• मनोगतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—मनसि गतिः (मनोगतिः)

• तस्याः: of that (mind-movement)
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणि: in Brahman
• ब्रह्मणि: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• संयोगः: union, conjunction
• संयोगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• योगः: (is called) yoga
• योगः: Pratijñā/Predicate nominative (सम्बोधन-निरूपण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नामनिर्देश (इति-शब्देन)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Marker/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निरूपणार्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• अभिधीयते: is called, is designated
• अभिधीयते: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धातु) उपसर्गः अभि; धातुरूपम्—अभि+धा (कर्मणि)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature/definition of yoga as the means to liberation (mokṣa) amid dissolution teachings

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yoga is the deliberate, self-cultivated movement of mind whose essence is conjunction (saṃyoga) with Brahman.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Establish a daily contemplative discipline (dhyāna/japa) that steadily reorients attention toward the Absolute rather than toward sensory dispersion.

Vishishtadvaita: Brahman is approached through a qualified mental orientation (viśiṣṭā manogatiḥ), consistent with a personal, attribute-full Supreme grasped in disciplined contemplation.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

What is the significance of defining Yoga as “union with Brahman” in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Yoga as a purposeful, disciplined orientation of the mind culminating in union with the Supreme Reality (Brahman), framing liberation as realization/communion with the highest principle.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of personal effort (ātma-prayatna) in Yoga?

He emphasizes that Yoga depends on one’s own sustained discipline: a distinctive mental course shaped by practice, not a passive state, leading the mind toward Brahman.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Within the Vishnu Purana’s Vaishnava framework, Brahman is ultimately aligned with Vishnu as the Supreme Reality; thus, “union with Brahman” implies the yogic culmination in the highest Vishnu-centered truth.